Alarm selector apparatus



Nov. 14, 1933.

L. L. E. CHAUVEAU ALARM SELETOR APPARATUS Original Filed Nov. 19. 1928 I540w au;ma REND l INVENTOR LOUIS L.E. CHAUVEAU ATTORN EY Patented Novi14,12933 PATENT OFFICE.

. ALARM SELECTOR AP PARATUS Louis Luciein -Eugene Chauveau, Paris,France, 4 L

assigner to Compagnie Generale de Tele5- graph ieSans Fil, Paris,France, a corporation of France Original application November 19, 1928,'Serial- No. 320,397, and in France December 2, 1927. .Divided and thisapplication March 1, 1930.

Serial ;No. 432,316

4 Claims. (01. 177-353) 7 k 7 the wheel RT thereupon due tothe action ofthe t is well known that international commissions have been consideringthe addition to the S.O. S. distress signal of shipSio'f another signalmore A particularly intehdecl to actuate electromagnetic alarm selectorsautomatically, thus insuring a distress watch in the absenceof the radiooperator on thetvessel. This new signal consists in sending out duringsay one minute intervals a predetermined series of dashes offour secondsseparated by'intervals of onesecond.

The present invention isla divisionof mycopending application, SerialNo. 320,397 filed No- V'ember 19, 1928 entitled Alarm selectbr apparatusand relates to aselector device having as. one

ticularity in the appended claims.

of itsobjects the actuation'of one .or more suitable electric announcersas soon as a series of three consecutive dashes of four secondsduration, separated by intervals of one second have been recorded by theassembly comprising the radio receiver and the alarm selector.

The novel features which Ibelieve to be cliaracteristic of myinventionare-set forthwith par- My invention itself, h0wever, bOth as toitsorganization and method of operatich will best.be understood byreference to the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing in which: 7 a

Fig. 1 represents diagrammatically one e1nbodi ment of the invention;and;

Fig. 2 represents diagrainmatically a modificatien ofthe gearihg systeincentral mearis.

In Fig,l the reference mark A designates a wheel provided with a"rotative movement at the rate of one revolutionper second and With thefacility to 'engage either'the wheel RT, which 'will when engaged by Arotate at the rate of one revolution in 10 seconds, or with the-wheel REwhich will when engagediby A rotate at the rate .of one revlution everytwo seconds; The start of the movement of wheel RT iSfixed b the stop band it comprises a shoulder 6 which is the means for closing the contact18 at theendofthe first second, the Contact 14 at the endof the -thirdsecond and the contact l7 at the end of the fifth second. Thesecdntactsjare supported by extension of the Support notshown on thedrawing. Relay 56 is c'onnected to the output of any 'suitable receiver(not:shown) in suoh a manner that uponreceipt of a signal 56 isenergized, army is pulled'down to contact with :c thus energizing relayMN. Relay MN acts on the lver'of support 50to engage RT with A.

If the dash receivedlasts less than a second the lever of support 50 isreleased by the relay- MN,

spiral spring SR will return to itsoriginal position before the rlaysE1, E2, etc. et the recorder beginto function. r

If the dash received lasts more than one second the contact 18' isclosed by the shoulder e and the winding 20 of the slow-releasing relayTC is energized through 5', line L1 contact 18 t0 minus. The contact 19is then closed. o

If thedash received lasts more than three seconds, that iS, long enoughto permit A to turn RTto.such a position that the' cam e closes 14' andapproaches 17, the winding2l of relay TC connected with contact .14willbe energized by the fines L1, L2. 'The winding 20 of relay TCopposes the winding 21. The winding 21 isenergized by a circuitincluding the contact 18gin the closed position. To obtain the desiredeiect in this difierential relay TC the contact 18' must remain closeduntil 14 is closed. This is insured by making the cam 6 on the wheel RTof suf at' back contact: or, relay Z0. Relay E1 at cona delay of about Atact 22 connects negative to one terminal of silence magnet- SL and atits contact 12 closes a locking circuit for itself Which may be tracedfront poSitive:at contact 12, winding of 'relay AE1, Winding of relay E1and to negative at btckcontact of relay ZO. Relay AE1 is not energizedat this time since it is short-circuited by direct positive supplied tothe winding =of relay E throughcontacts 5, 14, and 13. When the impulses terminate the short circuit is removed and -relay AE; energizesin series With relay E1.

.Relay AE1 when energized opens 'at 13 the original circuit for E1 andat 14 switches contact 14' to relay E2. 4

If the signal received lasts more than five seconds, the contact 17' isclosed, whereupon the plus terminal to the lower contact piece 01contact 5. Relay SL' is then energized since its circuit is prepared bythe contact 22 of relay If the interval lasts about asecondorless,'that' is, is not long cnough to1e1mit 52 to close '25 before the nextdash starts, the windings 56 and MN are energized and break thecircuit'through SL' at 5. The wheel RE disengages fro1nAand returns trest without disturbing the circuits set up by the first dash of aboutfour seconds duration.

The start of the movement of the WheelRE is fixed by the stop C, and it:is :retumied ato start position under the:action miesp1ing :SR. If :thedashreceived lasts more than :fiVe seconds, the wheel RT will stoprotating sincTe iitLi arrestecl by its stop b which bears theri:agaiiist the inner edgeof support 50. Wheel LRE likewise stops tumingfor a silence longer ;han two seconds.

The springs 100 and 101 bring the supports 50 and 51 respectively *backito the Lpositicn of rst When the relays MN and SL respectively aredead.

'-f the second or third flash receiVed is too short; that is, cver -cnesecond in lcngth but lless than about three seconds, the support :50imparts a plus te thelower :contact piece :of-con tact ;5 thej contact19 being Lthen closed- (the W'inding 20 of relay '1C :having beenenergized -by -way 'of 18 and b'eing slow-acting does not open at onceWhen the contactz5' leavesfltsupper contact piece), the relay :Z0sreceiVes plus by means of the Iines LR, contact 19 and LZ and-energizes the .rlays:Ez and AE2 :and swltchcs the line L3 t0 L4; the.third correct :dash :energizes the relays Es and AE3 arid-zclosestlre-rcircuit ofthe -bell relay "with :its lilocking cconLtact :andcontact ll(i,"tnerebyrcloslng the circuit :ofcthe .bll SN WhiCh"Willcontinue to ring :untilzit sis :stopped'b epeningcontact 15 in anydesiredmanner. The seleCtor S automatically -brought baok ito :zero :by:the ifirst silence excceding the Hduration -'or the first falsesigi1al0lloufirg the losing of the bell circuit. 'll'ihe'relay thenfunctionstbyvirtue of the closing action oi contact 31?, .19 oraccording ito "the case, 2andficflts ioi the 'energizingcf alltherelays, Withthe exception of the bell circuit Which cOirtifiuestofunction'until the moment the contact 15 is opened. .Opening cf contactL5 may 'be accomlishedby: a push button contact PB abetween the slecter:and 15. the line to .15 'is broken by PB :relay .AE3 becOmesdeenergized and contact 16 opens to silence 'th'e bell. r p I The Whel A-1'nay rotate either in {constant manner*driVefibya motor or"b--a 'clockmovement, or*o rily at the:momentof the reception of the signals."ln-this lattercase'the movement of the =whel'-A'is controlled, itherby-the keying relay When MN, or by thesilence rela SL or again by arelay connected in series in a line common to the circuits of these twoelectromagnets.

Fig. 2 jillustrates 'this latter embodiment. The Wires connected tocontacts 22 and of Figure 1, insteaclof running directly to the negativepole of the battery as shown on this figure, are connected with eachother and run to one of the terminals of relay C1 whose other terminalis supplied by the negative. This relay controls a contact 23 whichCloses the circuit of a motor M driving the wheel A. 'It-may also be themeans for efiecting the engagement of this wheel on a driving shaft.When signal 'energy comes in, at 56 contact .L closes and MN isenergized in the same manner as in the modification of Figure 1. At thesaine ftime Cl 'is energized through the circuit Ciy, -and M and Astartsto rotate at the same time lever engages RT with A.

The constants of the -duration 'of the dashes and the intervals may'bermodified by the modification of lthetdimensionsor speeds ofwheels PRTor RE. .In similar manner the number of :elements or the recording:groupmay be modified for instance for the purpose of receiving signalscomposed of more than or less than three consecutive dashes.

l. Selective signaling.apparatuscomprising :indicatingmeans, recorclingmeans ;for :actuating the indicating means' after the reception of :adefihite number of correct signals each of Whi0h has a duration fixedbetween two minim'umand maximum limitsidentical for all the-signals, thesignalsbeing separated by intervals which=doznct exceed.a definite.duration; a return-to zero relay connected with the said recordingmeans, :a slowerleasing Inreliminary relay With two coils Wound inopposition Controllinga contact in the return-to*zero relay circuit, arotary element, means controlledby the signalTor-causinguni- .formmovement of this-element in adefinite direction:and for simultaneouslyopening :another contact in the return-to-zero circuit .in -series withthe ;first contact; and three contacts actuated =by the r0tary:element=during its -uniform movement, the first of these contacts beingactuatedat the tmoment when thesignal exceeds a limit which is fixed inadvance,-this first contact beingconnected to one Winding ofthe.preliminary relay, thesecond of these contacts beingactuatedat,themoment when the signal exceeds-the minimum limit of the correct signalsand:being connected ,to-the second winding of the preliminary:relay andwith the recordingmeans, and the .third of these contacts being.actuated at the *moment When the signal;exceeds the maximum 'limit ofthe correct -signals, -this contact being connected with thereturn-to-zero :relay to cause operation thereof independent of theslow-releasing relay.

2. "SelectiVe signaling' apparatus comprising=indicating means,recording means for actuating.the indicating means after the receptionof a-definite :number of.correctsignals each of which-hasa durationfixed between two minimum and maximum limits identical for allthe.signals,the sig- :nals being separated hy intervals which do :notexceed a definite 'duration; a returnto-zero:relay connected to thesaidxrecordingmeans, a-slowreleasing preliminary relay with two coils=wound in opposition .controlling a contact in the oircuit of thereturn-to-zero relay,- a rotary element,

meths controlled by the signal forcausingzuni- 23 closes the circuitthroughform movement of this element in a definite direction and foropning at the same time another contact in the return-tO-zero circuitin*series With the first contact, and three contacts actuated by'therotary element during its uniform movement, the first of the threecontacts ,being actuated at the moment when the signal exceeds a limitwhich is fixed in advance, this first cori tact being connected toonewinding of the preliminary relay, the second of these contacts beingactuated at the moment when the signal exceeds the minimum limit of thecorrect signals and being connected with the second winding of thepreliminary relay and with the recording means, and the third of thesecontacts being actuated at the moment when the signal exceeds themaximum limit of the correct signals, this contact being connected withthe return-to-zero relay to Cause operation thereof independent of theslow-releasing relay, a second rotary clement, means, controlled by thesilences following the firstcorrect signal, for causing uniform movementof the second rotary element in a deflnite direction, and a contact,actuated by the said second rotary element at the moment when thesilence exceeds the set limit, said contact being connected with thecircuit of the -returhtozero relay.

3. In a selector apparatus responsive t0 a series of signal impulses ofgiven duration, means for measuring the length of the receivedimpulsescomprising a displaceable member, a plurality of contact devicesarranged in the path of displacementof said mmber and at predetermineddistances from each other, means responsive to the signal impulses for.displacing said member .along it s path to successively actuate gizedand for associating said second mentioned contact.device With'th thirdrelay, an alarm associated with the third relay device, means forrestoring the second and third relay devices, and means controlled bysaid slow releasing relay when not conteracted by the closure of thesecond mentioned contact device in combination With means controlled bythe termination of the impulse when the impulse is of duration betweenthe first and second gien duration for operating said restoring means. r

4. The systemas claimed in claim 3, in combination with.means responsiveto a signal lasting longer than the first mentioned duration foroperating said restoring means.

LOUIS LUCIEN EUGENE CHAUVEAU

